Names for Navy ships traditionally have been chosen and announced by the Secretary of the Navy, under the direction of the President and in accordance with rules prescribed by Congress. Rules for ...

When the United States Navy ships' hull designations first appeared in 1895, ships were referred to by class followed by their series numbers, such as "Battleship 7" or "Destroyer 17," with ...

Rules for giving certain types of names to certain types of Navy ships have evolved over time. Attack submarines, for example, were once named for fish, then later for cities, and most recently (in ...